HomeMy WebLinkAbout6.e. Ordinance Relating to Municipal Primary ElectionsROSEMOUNTEXECUTIVE SUMMARY
CITY COUNCIL
City Council Special Meeting: February 1, 2010
AGENDA ITEM: Ordinance Relating to Municipal Primary
AGENDA SECTION:
Elections
Consent
PREPARED BY: Dwight Johnson, City Administrator
AGENDA NO.
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Amy Domeier, City Clerk
ATTACHMENTS: Draft Ordinance
APPROVED BY: W
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Motion to adopt an Ordinance Relating to Municipal Primary
Elections; Adding new Subdivision to Section 1 -5 -1 to the Rosemount Code of Ordinances.
ISSUE
Based upon the number of interested residents that filed to serve on the City Council in 2008, staff is
recommending holding a municipal primary election in 2010.
DISCUSSION
The City may, by ordinance or resolution adopted at three months before the next municipal general
election, elect to choose nominees for municipal offices by a primary as provided in Section 205.065. The
resolution or ordinance, when. adopted, is effective for all ensuing municipal elections until revocation.
The City Clerk is required to notify the secretary of state and the county auditor within 30 days after
adoption of the resolution or ordinance. Staff would recommend that if the City Council decided to hold
a primary election that an ordinance be adopted so that anyone interested can find out whether there is a
primary by checking the City Code.
Per State Statute the primary election is held on the first Tuesday after the second Monday in September.
The 2010 General Election will be held on November 2, 2010. Listed below are the candidate filing
deadlines for the municipal primaries.
Primary Election Date: September 14, 2010
Filing dates with municipal election: July 6 —July 20, 2010
Filing dates without municipal election: August 24 — September 7, 2010
Staff has consulted with Dakota County election staff regarding holding a municipal primary election. The
2010 general election ballot looks to be very long and the maximum length for an optical scan ballot is
18 ". Should the City have numerous candidates filing for local offices there may be a need to have a
second ballot. The number of candidate ballot rotations and the number of ballot styles increase with
more candidates filing for a particular office. Although the City was fortunate in 2008 the likelihood of a
local recount increases with the number of candidates in a particular race.
The City Council discussed the possibility of holding a primary municipal election at its regular work
session on January 13, 2010. The City Council directed staff to bring a proposed ordinance for
consideration to the February 1, 2010 City Council meeting.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends adoption of the draft Ordinance.
CITY OF ROSEMOUNT
COUNTY OF DAKOTA
STATE OF MINNESOTA
ORDINANCE NO. 2010-02
ORDINANCE RELATING TO MUNICIPAL PRIMARY
ELECTIONS; ADDING NEW SUBDIVISION TO SECTION 1 -5 -1
TO THE ROSEMOUNT CODE OF ORDINANCES
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROSEMOUNT, MINNESOTA, ORDAINS as follows:
Section 1. Rosemount City Code is amended by adding a new subdivision to Section 1 -5 -1 as
follows:
1 -5 -1: DATE OF ELECTIONS:
Subdivision 1. The municipal primary election for the purpose of nominating elective
officers in the city shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in
September of every even numbered year, commencing with the even year elections
in 2010.
Subdivision 2. The municipal general election in the city shall be held on the first
Tuesday after the first Monday in November of every even numbered year,
commencing with the even year elections in 1998. There will be no municipal general
election in 1997.
Section 2. This ordinance shall be effective the day following its publication.
Adopted by the City Council of the City of Rosemount, Minnesota, the 1 st day of February, 2010.
William H. Droste, Mayor
ATTEST:
Amy Domeier, City Clerk
Published in the Rosemount Town Pages the day of February, 2010.
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